Key Takeaway
Australia has three credit bureaus — Equifax (0–1,200 scale, used by ANZ, CBA, NAB and Westpac for home loans), Experian (0–1,000 scale, used by fintechs, ING, Macquarie and most BNPL providers) and Illion (0–1,000 scale, used by telcos, utilities and most car finance brokers). You have a separate file at each bureau holding different data, so your three scores will almost always differ — sometimes by hundreds of points. Which one matters most depends entirely on what you're applying for: - Home loan at a major bank? Equifax matters most. - Personal loan, car loan or BNPL? Illion or Experian. - Phone or utility account? Illion. - Any major finance application? All three matter — because a default on one can block approval at any lender who pulls that bureau. Free assessment across all three bureaus: [australiancreditsolutions.com.au/free-credit-assessment](https://www.australiancreditsolutions.com.au/free-credit-assessment) · Call 0489 265 737.
Quick Answer: Australia has three credit bureaus — Equifax (0–1,200 scale, used by ANZ, CBA, NAB and Westpac for home loans), Experian (0–1,000 scale, used by fintechs, ING, Macquarie and most BNPL providers) and Illion (0–1,000 scale, used by telcos, utilities and most car finance brokers). You have a separate file at each bureau holding different data, so your three scores will almost always differ — sometimes by hundreds of points.
Which one matters most depends entirely on what you're applying for:
- Home loan at a major bank? Equifax matters most.
- Personal loan, car loan or BNPL? Illion or Experian.
- Phone or utility account? Illion.
- Any major finance application? All three matter — because a default on one can block approval at any lender who pulls that bureau.
Free assessment across all three bureaus: australiancreditsolutions.com.au/free-credit-assessment · Call 0489 265 737.
Most Australians think they have one credit score. They have three. And those three numbers can tell completely different stories about you — sometimes one bureau shows "Excellent" while another shows "Below Average." Both can be true at the same time.
If you've ever been declined for a loan while a free credit-monitoring app said your score was great — this is why. The app showed one bureau's score. The lender checked a different one.
This guide explains exactly which bureau does what, which lenders use which file, why your three scores differ, and what to do when a listing is dragging one bureau's score down. If you only want the practical bit — grab the free 60-second assessment and we'll pull all three bureau files and tell you honestly what's on them. No obligation.
The Three Australian Credit Bureaus — Side-by-Side
| Feature | Equifax | Experian | Illion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Former name | Veda Advantage | — | Dun & Bradstreet |
| Score scale | 0–1,200 | 0–1,000 | 0–1,000 |
| Australian adult average | ~760 (Very Good band) | ~620 (Good band) | ~580 (Good band) |
| Free score | ClearScore, GetCreditScore | Credit Savvy | creditreport.com.au |
| Free file URL | equifax.com.au | experian.com.au | illion.com.au |
| Free file frequency | 1 per year | 1 per year | 1 per year |
| Primary users | Major banks, mortgage brokers | Fintechs, non-banks, BNPL | Telcos, utilities, car finance |
You have a separate file at each bureau. Each file holds only the data that bureau was reported. A default reported only to Illion doesn't appear on your Equifax file — but a car finance broker who pulls Illion will see it instantly. This is why we always assess all three bureaus in the free credit file review at ACS.
Equifax Australia — The Major Bank Bureau (0–1,200 Scale)
Equifax (formerly Veda Advantage) is the largest credit bureau in Australia and the one every major Australian bank uses for home loan assessments. If you're applying for a mortgage at CBA, ANZ, NAB or Westpac — Equifax is the file that decides whether your application reaches a human assessor.
Equifax Score Bands
| Score | Band | What Lenders See |
|---|---|---|
| 0–459 | Below Average | Auto-decline at major banks |
| 460–660 | Average | Specialist/non-conforming lenders only |
| 661–734 | Good | Mainstream consideration |
| 735–852 | Very Good | All lenders open, standard rates |
| 853–1,200 | Excellent | Premier customer offers |
Who Reports to Equifax?
- All four major Australian banks (CBA, ANZ, NAB, Westpac)
- Most regional banks (Bendigo, BOQ, Suncorp)
- Most mortgage and home loan lenders
- Major credit card providers
- Larger personal loan providers
Equifax Average Score
The Australian adult average Equifax score is approximately 760 — sitting in the "Very Good" band. If you're under 622 (the cutoff for "Good"), you're carrying something — typically a default, a string of enquiries, high credit card balances, or a very thin file.
📞 Quick reality check on your Equifax file? Call 0489 265 737 for a 60-second yes/no on what's on it. ASIC-licensed (ACL 532003), lawyer-led, no obligation.
Experian Australia — The Fintech & Non-Bank Bureau (0–1,000 Scale)
Experian's Australian coverage is growing fast. Fintechs, non-bank lenders, BNPL providers (Afterpay, Zip, Humm), Macquarie and ING all weight Experian heavily — sometimes as their primary bureau.
Experian Score Bands
| Score | Band | What Lenders See |
|---|---|---|
| 0–549 | Below Average | Most lenders decline |
| 550–624 | Fair | Limited options, rate-loaded |
| 625–699 | Good | Mainstream consideration |
| 700–799 | Very Good | Strong borrowing position |
| 800–1,000 | Excellent | Best rates and limits |
Who Reports to Experian?
- BNPL providers (Afterpay, Zip, Humm, Klarna)
- Macquarie Bank, ING Direct
- Most fintechs (Wisr, Plenti, MoneyMe, Latitude)
- Many newer credit card issuers
- A growing number of non-bank mortgage lenders
Why Your Experian Score May Be Lower
Experian weights recent enquiries more heavily than Equifax. If you've shopped around for finance in the last 12 months — even if you ultimately took only one loan — your Experian score will typically be 30–80 points lower than your Equifax (on the equivalent thousand-point basis). For practical purposes: if you've been declined by a fintech or BNPL provider, this is the file we need to look at first.
Illion Australia — The Telco, Utility & Car Finance Bureau (0–1,000 Scale)
Illion (formerly Dun & Bradstreet Australia) is the bureau Australian telcos and utilities report to. If you've ever had a Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, AGL, EnergyAustralia, Origin or Aussie Broadband account go pear-shaped, it's almost certainly on your Illion file. Most car finance brokers and dealer finance arms also pull Illion first.
Illion Score Bands
| Score | Band | What Lenders See |
|---|---|---|
| 0–299 | Below Average | Mainstream lenders decline |
| 300–499 | Room for Improvement | Specialist lenders only |
| 500–699 | Good | Most lenders open |
| 700–799 | Great | Strong position |
| 800–1,000 | Excellent | Premier offers |
Who Reports to Illion?
- All major Australian telcos (Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, TPG, Aussie Broadband)
- Major energy retailers (AGL, Origin, EnergyAustralia, Red Energy)
- Most car finance brokers and dealer finance arms
- Many smaller personal loan providers
- Debt collection agencies
Why Illion Defaults Block Car Loans
This is the single biggest "gotcha" we see. A $300 Optus default from three years ago — completely paid off, sitting on your file marked "paid default" — will still appear on your Illion file for 5 years from listing date. When you apply for a car loan, the dealer or broker pulls Illion first. The application is automatically declined or escalated. Most of our car-loan-blocked clients are sitting on exactly this: a small, old, paid telco default on Illion that no major bank ever saw.
Got a paid telco default blocking finance? This is one of the most commonly removable listings under the Privacy Act 1988 — the Section 21D pre-listing notice is often defective or wasn't received because the customer had moved. Free assessment → Free, no obligation, no impact on your score.
Why Are My Equifax, Experian and Illion Scores All Different?
Three reasons — and once you understand them, the differences make complete sense.
1. Each Bureau Holds Different Data
Credit providers in Australia choose which bureau they report to. Some report to all three. Many report to only one or two. A Telstra account that defaulted in 2023 might appear on Illion but not Equifax. A home loan with CBA appears on Equifax but might not appear on Experian. Your three files are literally different files with different data inside them.
2. Each Bureau Uses a Different Scoring Algorithm
Each bureau's score formula is proprietary. As a general rule:
- Equifax weights repayment history most heavily
- Experian weights recent enquiries most heavily
- Illion weights default amounts most heavily
The same underlying data, fed into three different formulas, produces three different scores.
3. The Scales Are Different Lengths
Equifax tops out at 1,200. The other two top out at 1,000. A raw score of 700 means different things depending on the scale — "Good" on Experian (out of 1,000), "Average" on Equifax (out of 1,200).
The practical takeaway: don't treat any one bureau as definitive. Before any major finance application, pull all three files. Many of our clients have a clean Equifax file and a damaging Illion default that nobody noticed until the car loan came back declined — exactly the situation that almost cost the Sydney marketing manager above her home loan approval.
Centrix vs Equifax vs Illion — Are You Looking at the Right Country?
Quick clarification on a common confusion: Centrix is a New Zealand credit bureau, not Australian. If you've Googled "Centrix vs Equifax vs Illion" and landed on this page, you may have been reading content written for the New Zealand market.
Australian credit reporting is governed by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) Part IIIA and the Credit Reporting Code 2014. The three bureaus operating under that framework are Equifax, Experian and Illion. Centrix, while owned by the same parent company as Illion, operates separately under New Zealand law and is not used by Australian lenders.
If your finance application is in Australia, only your Equifax, Experian and Illion files matter.
Which Bureau Does My Lender Actually Use?
Lenders don't always disclose which bureau they pull — but the patterns are clear enough to predict most of the time:
| What You're Applying For | Bureau Most Likely Checked |
|---|---|
| Home loan at a big-4 bank (CBA, ANZ, NAB, Westpac) | Equifax (primary), often Illion (secondary) |
| Home loan at a non-bank or fintech | Experian + Equifax |
| Personal loan at a major bank | Equifax + Illion |
| Personal loan at a fintech (Wisr, Plenti, etc.) | Experian |
| Car loan from a dealer | Illion + Equifax |
| Car loan from a finance broker | Illion + Experian |
| Credit card from a major bank | Equifax |
| BNPL (Afterpay, Zip, Humm) | Experian |
| Phone plan or mobile contract | Illion |
| Energy or utility account | Illion |
| Rental application | Varies — often Equifax + Illion |
| Business loan | All three |
The safest assumption: a major application will check at least two bureaus, and any negative listing on any of the three can block approval.
Does Income Affect Any of My Three Credit Scores?
No. Your income is not part of your credit score at any Australian bureau — not Equifax, not Experian, not Illion.
What is part of your score (at all three):
- Repayment history across all credit accounts
- Credit utilisation (balances vs limits)
- Age and mix of your credit accounts
- Recent credit enquiries
- Defaults, court judgements, and serious credit infringements
What lenders look at separately from your score:
- Income (verified via payslips and tax returns)
- Employment status and stability
- Living expenses and dependents
- Existing financial commitments
A high earner with a default has a low credit score and gets declined for home loans. A modest earner with a clean file has an excellent score and gets approved at standard rates. Income only matters once your credit file passes the initial bureau check.
Real Story: An Equifax of 814, an Illion of 412 — Same Person
A marketing manager from Sydney's inner west pulled her Equifax score through GetCreditScore six months before applying for a home loan — 814 out of 1,200, "Very Good" band. Confident, she went mortgage shopping.
The first broker she spoke to ran a full three-bureau check and called her back the same afternoon. Her Illion score was 412 — "Room for Improvement." Two unpaid Optus defaults from 2022, totalling $1,840, that had never been reported to Equifax.
She called Australian Credit Solutions on the broker's recommendation. The free assessment confirmed the defaults were eligible for dispute — Optus had sent the Section 21D pre-listing notice to her old Marrickville address despite her updating her details twice through the Optus app. Privacy Act 1988 breach on both listings.
Both defaults were removed in 38 days. Her Illion score moved from 412 to 689. The home loan was approved at CBA at standard rates — saving her approximately $18,000 across the life of the loan compared with a non-bank specialist rate.
Her Equifax never had the problem. Her Illion did. She would never have known without a three-bureau check.
Book your free three-bureau assessment →
How to Remove a Listing From One Bureau (or All Three)
If you have a listing dragging one of your three scores down, the removal process is the same regardless of which bureau holds it: a formal dispute under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) Part IIIA.
The grounds for removal are listing-specific, not bureau-specific:
- Section 21D pre-listing notice was not properly served (wrong address, never received)
- The amount listed differs from the actual amount owed
- The debt was statute-barred when the listing was made
- The account was opened fraudulently (identity theft)
- Procedural breaches in the listing process by the credit provider
If the credit provider reported the listing to multiple bureaus, a successful dispute typically results in removal from all of them — because the credit provider issues the removal instruction, not the bureau. Australian Credit Solutions verifies removal across all three bureaus as part of the standard process.
If the listing is on only one bureau (often the case with telco defaults on Illion), removal there is enough — the listing never existed on the others.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Equifax, Experian and Illion in Australia? The three Australian credit bureaus differ in scale, lender relationships and data sources. Equifax uses a 0–1,200 scale and is used by all major Australian banks for home loans. Experian uses a 0–1,000 scale and is used by fintechs, non-bank lenders and BNPL providers. Illion uses a 0–1,000 scale and is used by telcos, utilities and car finance brokers. You have a separate file at each bureau, and the files hold different data because credit providers choose which bureau(s) they report to.
Why is my Equifax score different from Experian or Illion? Your scores differ because each bureau holds different data and uses a different scoring formula. Equifax weights repayment history most heavily; Experian weights recent enquiries; Illion weights default amounts. A default reported only to one bureau won't appear on the others. The same Australian can have an "Excellent" Equifax score and a "Below Average" Illion score at the same time — both are true reflections of what each bureau was reported.
Which credit bureau do Australian banks use? The four major Australian banks (CBA, ANZ, NAB, Westpac) primarily use Equifax for credit decisions, often pulling Illion as a secondary check on home loans. Non-bank and fintech lenders (Macquarie, ING, Wisr, Plenti) more commonly use Experian. BNPL providers (Afterpay, Zip, Humm) use Experian. Telcos and utility companies report to and check Illion. Most major applications check at least two bureaus.
What's the highest score on Equifax, Experian and Illion? The maximum scores are: Equifax 1,200, Experian 1,000, and Illion 1,000. These ceilings are rare in practice — they require a long credit history, no enquiries in years, low utilisation, and no negative listings of any kind. Most Australians with excellent credit sit between 850–1,050 on Equifax, 800–950 on Experian, and 750–900 on Illion.
What's a good credit score on all three Australian bureaus? A "Good" score is 661+ on Equifax (0–1,200), 625+ on Experian (0–1,000), and 500+ on Illion (0–1,000). For a mainstream home loan at a major Australian bank, you generally want Equifax 700+ combined with a clean file — no active defaults or court judgements on any bureau.
Does income affect my credit score on Equifax, Experian or Illion? No. Income is not part of your credit score at any Australian bureau. Lenders assess income separately when you apply for credit. Your score reflects your repayment history, credit utilisation, account age and mix, recent enquiries, and any defaults or judgements — but not how much you earn.
Can a default appear on one bureau but not the others? Yes — and this is one of the most common credit file issues in Australia. Credit providers choose which bureau(s) they report to. Many telcos and utilities report only to Illion. Many fintechs report only to Experian. A default can sit on one bureau's file for years while your other two scores look healthy. This is why a three-bureau check is essential before any major finance application.
How do I get my Equifax, Experian and Illion reports for free? Under the Privacy Act 1988, every Australian is entitled to a free credit report once per year from each bureau, plus a second free report within 90 days of being declined for credit. Equifax: equifax.com.au. Experian: experian.com.au. Illion: illion.com.au. Free monitoring services that provide ongoing access: ClearScore (clearscoring.com.au, Equifax data), Credit Savvy (creditsavvy.com.au, Experian data), GetCreditScore (getcreditscore.com.au, Equifax data).
Can a default be removed from one bureau but stay on another? In practice, yes — but it's rare when handled properly. A successful Privacy Act 1988 dispute is lodged with the credit provider, who then issues a removal instruction to whichever bureau(s) hold the listing. If the credit provider reported the default to all three bureaus, the removal should apply to all three. Australian Credit Solutions verifies removal at every bureau that held the listing as part of the standard process — if any bureau still shows the listing 14 days after the credit provider confirms removal, we follow up directly.
Is Centrix a credit bureau in Australia? No. Centrix is a New Zealand credit bureau. It's owned by the same parent company as Illion but operates entirely under New Zealand credit reporting law. Australian credit reporting is governed by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and uses three bureaus: Equifax, Experian and Illion. If you're applying for finance in Australia, only your Equifax, Experian and Illion files matter — your Centrix file (if you have one) is irrelevant to Australian lenders.
How long do listings stay on my Equifax, Experian and Illion files? The same retention periods apply at all three bureaus under the Credit Reporting Code: Defaults — 5 years. Court judgements — 5 years. Credit enquiries — 5 years. Repayment history information — 2 years. Serious credit infringements (clearouts) — 7 years. Bankruptcy — 5 years from the order date or 2 years from discharge (whichever is longer). The clock starts from the date the listing was made, not the date the underlying debt was paid.
Which bureau is most important to monitor in Australia? All three matter, but the most important to monitor depends on your situation. If you're applying for a home loan: Equifax is the priority. If you've ever had telco or utility trouble: Illion is the priority. If you're a BNPL user or apply through fintechs: Experian is the priority. For most Australians, the safest approach is monthly monitoring of all three via the free services (ClearScore, Credit Savvy, GetCreditScore) so you spot any new listings within 30 days.
Know All Three Files — Then Fix What's Holding You Back
If you've read this far you probably suspect that one of your three files is the problem. You might already know which one — or you might be the next Priya, looking at a healthy Equifax score and a damaging Illion file you don't yet know about.
The Australian Credit Solutions free assessment is the most thorough first step you can take. We pull your file across all three bureaus, identify every negative listing on any of them, and tell you honestly which can be challenged under the Privacy Act 1988 and which can't. No commitment. No obligation. Then you decide.
Why over 5,000 Australians have used ACS
- ASIC Licensed — Australian Credit Licence ACL 532003. Verify at connectonline.asic.gov.au.
- Lawyer-led — Principal Solicitor Elisa Rothschild BA/LLB (Monash University), operating through Fogarty Oliver and Rothschild law firm.
- 98% success rate on accepted cases — across all three bureaus.
- 4.9 out of 5 from 976+ verified reviews on ProductReview.com.au.
- Industry Excellence Award winner 2022, 2023, 2024.
- No Win No Fee — success fees only payable when a listing is actually removed.
Get My Free Three-Bureau Assessment → 📞 Call 0489 265 737 — 60-second yes/no on whether your listing can be challenged.
Australian Credit Solutions Pty Ltd holds Australian Credit Licence ACL 532003. Credit repair services are subject to individual assessment. Results may vary. This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Always seek professional advice before making financial decisions.
Related reading: Credit Score Ranges Australia → | What Is a Credit Default? → | Default Removal Services → | Meet Elisa Rothschild →
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